Guilty Pleasures

I believe television runs people's lives far too much. Now, that's not to say that I don't watch TV. I do. But I don't "just" watch TV. I have it on while I'm doing other things - working on the computer, painting, cooking, etc.

I make it a point to not know when specific shows come on. I catch them or I don't. I don't ever rush home for a show, or schedule around it. That's way too much control for television to have over my life.

OK, all of that said... I have a new guilty pleasure - "Meet the Barkers." I generally eschew reality shows, but this odd couple draws my attention. In case you haven't caught this little gem, it stars heavily inked Travis Barker and his playmate/Miss USA wife. Travis is the drummer for Blink 182 and considered one of the great musical talents of our time - so drum people say - I wouldn't know the difference, myself.

I don't know when it comes on, but whenever I've caught it I've enjoyed it. OK, I've only seen it a couple of times, and I wouldn't want to be best friends with these two, but it's interesting to peek into this world.

Working in Every Direction

I got a lot of Garden Tour things done today and Greg delivered some flyers for me. I also worked on other parts of my life but didn't find time to paint in the room upstairs.


I also worked on my webpage a little bit and put up my Kansas Cookies Cookbook for sale. I've been meaning to do it forever, but just hadn't gotten around to it. Finally, it's done.

I wrote this book years ago as a souvenir booklet. It was sold in various places around the state. It tucks into an envelope for mailing.

I'm a big proponent of cookbooks having more than just lists of ingredients - really, what is the point in that. If the recipes are not put into context then there's no point in bothering.

So, I've tried to follow my own advice. I have a dozen recipes in there and each has a story with it.

I went down to Diana's store today to meet her and Jocelyn. We had a chance to visit a little. An unexpected treat was that little Miss Lily was there. Taylor (her mom) had stopped in so I got to hold the baby for awhile. She is a cuddly baby - you just can't get enough of her. Hard to believe she's already four months old.

Greg and I went to Roy's and Mike (the owner) gave me a bone to take to Petie so I stopped back by the store. He was happy to see me bearing such gifts.

I also picked up my laptop, which has been pronounced officially dead. Two things to say about that - 1. Don't waste your money on the Circuit City warranty plans. You can send the machine back, and they will continue to replace parts, but they won't actually FIX it. 2. Don't expect that Compaq (now HP) gives a flying flip about whether or not their products function. There are a few thousand similar complaints about this machine - even a name for it - GLOB - Green Light On Brigade. The green light comes on but that's it. Anyway, they refuse to accept that it's a "known problem," even though thousands of people have the same problem independently. They refuse to accept it or do anything about it.

I had to make a run to Office Max for more ink for garden tour stuff I was printing and ran into one of my board members there. She's someone I really enjoy so it was fun to chat with her. I had to go get some more ink cartridges, but while I was there I happened to see they had some Pitt Pens on clearance, so I picked those up for myself. I can't wait to try them out in a little bit.

I had my second negative experience with an Office Max cashier tonight. It wasn't horrible, but it wasn't pleasant, and this is the second time in a month I've had a similar thing happen. Next time I'm in and see one of the managers, I'm going to mention it to them. They generally have great service and this is an oddity. I want this store to survive and if I'm having bad experiences, other people probably are too - that can't be good long term. I shop there all the time so next time one of the managers is around and not busy I'll mention it to them.

Well, I think I'm headed upstairs to the studio for a bit. I'm working on some new things I'm really enjoying. I paint very thickly sometimes - I love texture - so drying time is always an issue for me.

Me? Travel? Yup... This one seems right on

Your Birthdate: December 23

With a birthday on the 23rd of the month (5 energy) you are inclined to work well with people and enjoy them. You are talented and versatile, very good at presenting ideas. You may have a tendency to get itchy feet at times and need change and travel. You tend to be very progressive, imaginative and adaptable. Your mind is quick, clever and analytical. A restlessness in your nature may make you a bit impatient and easily bored with routine. You may have a tendency to shirk responsibility. Very sociable, you make friends easily and you are an excellent traveling companion.

What Does Your Birth Date Mean?

End of the Work Week

Well, it's the end of the work week - at least for most people - for me this will be a working weekend as well. With the garden tour only a week away, I have *much* to do.

Just today, thanks to my board president Peggy, we got our final garden. I had one garden drop - well, as best I can tell - the home owner won't return my phone calls or take them - so I assume she has changed her mind. I really wish she had confirmed that for me, but I can only guess. Anyway, it turned out great, so that's all that matters. It's going to be a fabulous tour!

Needless to say, working on the tour is all I've done work wise, but I did have a social life as far as meals today.

I started out with Susan K at Skaets. We had a nice breakfast and then I met Andrea for lunch. We had a really interesting chat. I'm going to plan an art retreat weekend and I was brainstorming with her. Tonight I met Greg at Skaets for dinner. He got home last night from his westward trip and I'm so glad he's back.

I've got a lot of other things going on, aside from the garden tour, so I'm a bit overwhelmed.

We're getting more storms, after last night and the night before. Fortunately, my immediate area has escaped.

I did make arrangements today for the electrician to come next week. I have a number of things that need to be done so I'm trying to make a list.

Terry has popped over for me to make a CD for him of some Tai Chi things. After that I think I'm headed to bed. I got very little sleep last night. I went to bed about 12:30 but at 4:23 I was still awake. At 6:23 I was awake again and couldn't get back to sleep so I got up at 7.

I don't need much sleep - far less than other people - but I do need some... and I've had very little the last couple of weeks. So, I think I need to try and get some rest.

I'm supposed to have Roy's with Jocelyn and Diana tomorrow as a celebration for Jocelyn making a big sale. I'm going to get up early enough to make garden tour flyers so I can get them cut before noon when the printing place closes. Ah... so much to do... I best get these CDs done and get some rest.

Spoke Too Soon

Apparently I spoke too soon that we wouldn't get anything weather wise. I should probably be turning the computer off...

I'm a Great Girlfriend? Hmmmm...

Well, we all know of my little addition for these quiz thingies. This one is about what kind of girlfriend you are. It says I'm great. But I've recently been "excused" from my girlfriend duties. Hmmmm... I guess not everyone would agree.....

You are a Great Girlfriend When it comes to your guy, you're very thoughtful But you also haven't stopped thinking of yourself You're the perfect blend of independent and caring You're a total catch - make sure your guy knows it too! Are You a Good Girlfriend? Take This Quiz :-) Find the Love of Your Life (and More Love Quizzes) at Your New Romance.

Mother Nature's Shows

Tis tornado season in Kansas and tonight looks like it's going to be a long night for some in the area. Hutchinson is not going to be hit tonight unless something strange happens - it's to the south and east of us - but it looks like it will be a doozie.

It's curious the things one becomes accustomed to. Until I moved to Kansas I had never even paid much attention to things like tornadoes. Now, I've been in town when it was hit, although I missed the whole thing. I was on the top floor of one of the taller buildings in town (not very tall!) and missed the whole thing. But, that one decimated Willowbrook, a very upscale "burb" of Hutchinson. I helped cover the aftermath of the Hesston tornado, even though I was no longer doing news. I remember the Andover one - it's the one that the famous footage of Greg Jarret (then working in Wichita, now with MSNBC) under the overpass with the frightened family that we've all seen a few hundred times.

But, it's funny how things just become common place. A little after 9 I drove up to Skaets for a Moonburger, and on the way was listening to the radio where the mobile guy was saying he could see wall clouds and he thought there was rotation. As I was going around the roundabout he said, "There's definitely rotation. We have a funnel coming out of the wall cloud. If you're in the area of blah blah blah, take immediate cover." We accept these things as common place here - even though of us who are transplants - it's just part of the landscape. Of course, we do take cover when necessary, but we toss around words like "wall cloud" as if they're commonplace. (They're the clouds from which tornadoes come - they're straight - just like a wall - very distinctive.)

When I was growing up in Kentucky, we lived near the New Madrid fault line - it's a huge fault line running through five states. (The last really huge earthquake in the early 1800s made the Mississippi river run backwards for three days and rang church bells on the Eastern Seaboard.)

I was in dozens of minor earthquakes. Because they were commonplace, I paid no real attention to them. Of course, we never had a big one - that would have made a difference, obviously. But, it was not unusual to be awakened by the bed shaking, hearing the dishes rattle in the other room. Sometimes a picture would fall off the wall, but there was never anything major where we were - across the river, although the fault line goes under the river.

If you were walking, you wouldn't feel them the same way. But if you were still, you'd feel it. I remember once as a kid being outside playing and I noticed the ground moving. I stopped and stood still and I could feel it then. It was significant enough you could see the sine wave going through the ground - just minor, but noticeable. Because I was on a farm, I watched it go across the field, unencumbered by buildings and such. It was just part of life. We thought no more about it than the fact that the backwater came up every year when the Ohio and Mississippi Rivers flooded.

Of course, it's always the things you don't know about unless you've been in them, that are the worst. Everyone knows about the destruction tornadoes do, flattening houses. What you may not think about if you've not been in one is the hail. Oh my, the hail. The hail comes down in droves - huge pieces of hail - in areas that are far away from wherever the actual tornado may be.

As I was thinking about this entry on my way home tonight I was trying to think about how to describe it. The best I can come up with is a dozen two year olds armed with wooden spoons and pots, doing what's natural, would approximate the sound of being in a car. The first huge hail storm we had after I moved here - my first one, my learning experience - I thought the woman in the upstairs apartment had fallen down the stairs. Nope. Just hail. On the roof a floor above me.

What such things do to vehicles and roofs is not something we like to discuss.

In addition to the hail is the wind and the rain. Tornadoes usually bring flood warnings with them. This is a great time to remind you that flooding is very, very dangerous. More people die from floods each year than any other weather phenomenon. Do NOT drive through that water up ahead. Really. Just don't.

There are the storm chasers, who want to see tornadoes. I have no great desire to do such a thing. If it were in front of me, of course I would look. But I'm not going to seek it.

The lightning is quite amazing - even here - miles away. The golf ball sized hail is falling all over the area, although thankfully not on my relatively new roof.

The real shame of it all is that farmers have just started the wheat harvest. The rain, much less the hail, will destroy some of these farmers for the year.

Creative Sisterhood

Tonight was Creative Sisterhood and it was a wonderful evening. I was thinking this afternoon that it hasn't even been two years since we started gathering every month and it feels an essential part of my life.

I am honored these five women come together with me in my home each month so we can share our lives in a safe, loving environment. The things that happen in our circle are amazing. Truly, we experience miracles sometimes.

This afternoon I snapped a photo of the table with the cake and all on it - even though this was a very casual night and nothing fancy in sight.

I made a new recipe of chocolate cake. I'll post it below. I'm sorry but I don't recall where I got it from. But, it was tasty. Martha says it's definitely a top 5 cake, maybe a top 3 - maybe even number 1. Obviously, I love to cook for Martha - she's so appreciative.

You can also see the jar. Each month we have the opportunity to write something down and it's kept on a shelf in my dining room all year. Then, we open them and share if we wish and keep them private if we wish. We've only done it one year so far - obviously, since we've only been going that long. We opened them in February and it was really interesting. We had planned to do something different but the jar was such a great experience we did it again.

You might also notice candy canes. We always have candy canes - specifically Bob's Candy Canes. I had some the first Christmas and Martha told us a story about Bob's and how they're better than the others. So, I've made sure I have some Bob's candy canes every month since then. So, even when it's over 90 degrees, we have Bob's Candy Canes available.

In other news today I've worked on garden tour things. I'm worn out. I will be glad when this event is done and I can bask in the success (positive thinking!).

Chocolate Cake

1 stick of butter
1 Cup of water
1 cup of shortening
2 tablespoons of Cocoa

Bring to a boil then add
2 cups flour
2 cups sugar

Mix well Add 4 eggs

In a separate bowl mix
1/2 cup buttermilk
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp vanilla

Combine with other ingredients then bake @ 375 in a 9 by 13 pan. Cook until done - about 30 minutes.

Icing:
6 TBS of milk
1 stick of butter
2 TBS cocoa

bring to a boil then add:
1 box of powdered sugar
1 tsp of vanilla

Mondays Always Get Me Down

Frankly, I've got so much on my plate at the moment that I can't afford the effort to be down, even if it is Monday.

I've been chained to the computer, working on garden tour stuff today. And I have another day of that ahead tomorrow. I'm growing very weary of these projects that take every ounce of my energy for a few weeks.

I did take time to go have lunch with Terry this afternoon but that was it for fun today. Otherwise, just work.

Tonight I was looking for something in my desk and ran across a postcard I bought in Paris that summed up my world at the moment. This is just part of the card, but it's so very true.

My home is just out of control - as it always gets when I'm working on a big project. All my attention is devoted to that and my life falls apart. I'm in the middle of that now, and I just don't care for it at all. But, so it goes.

Well... I must get back to one of the many tasks at hand. Last night I was working furiously, trying to beat the 3 a.m. pickup at the post office. That's such an insane thing to be doing. Tonight I'm printing 1200 postcards that will go out tomorrow. I still have to do publicity faxes and emails so they're there when people get to their offices tomorrow. I want to do that before I go to bed, although I'll need to be back up and working before most people will get to their offices.

But... it's 1:05 a.m. now... so I should try to finish up a few more things and get at least a little bit of sleep.

New Cards

I've been doing some new business cards. Pretty much they're used when people want to know the address for my blog. I did some watercolor ones a few weeks ago and they're almost all gone so it was time to do something new.

At the moment I'm really into bold acrylics so I decided to work with those this time. I also just did something similar for an address book exchange on an art list. Anyway, I'm infatuated with this concept at the moment.

Next month, who knows...

Leslie's Drawing

I mentioned earlier today that my great neice, Leslie, sent me a drawing she had done. It's of David Bowie as "Jareth" the goblin king from the movie Labyrinth. I've not seen the movie, but I know this looks like David Bowie.

Leslie's mom was always very artistic. Leslie has never had any art training and I'm not sure if Kathy had any either. I do think artistic talent is partially genetic.

However, I do believe anyone can learn to draw, too. It takes lots of practice. But, I know my own "skills" (I say that generously) have greatly improved since I started making an effort to draw regularly. Part of it is that you just have to get past the worrying about it being bad.

I am not nearly as talented as Leslie. I rarely attempt to reproduce an actual likeness of a human being. I prefer to stick with inanimate objects that remain stationery for long periods of time and who's feelings are not hurt when my drawing does not look like them.

Old Acquaintances

This week has been interesting as far as hearing from people I haven't talked to in ages.

One afternoon after lunch I stopped in at Diana's to see her and Lily. While I was in Andrea stopped by and so she and Diana and I were talking about yarn and knitting.

Someone came in and Diana got up. I had my back to the door but Andrea said, "Oh my God!" It was someone we both worked with at the radio station years ago. He had stopped in to ask directions. How odd that we would all be there at the same time. It was great to get to see him, even though it was brief.

Then today I got an email from my great niece, Leslie. She lives in Mississippi and we just don't seem to connect very often. Not sure why - life, I guess. We all get along fine - and think about each other - but just don't make actual connection. So, it was good to hear from her.

She shared one of her drawings with me. It's very good. I've asked her permission to post it here. If she says OK, I'll show it off, even though it makes my own drawing look bad.

These are both just interesting experiences - of hearing from someone I really enjoy - that I didn't expect to see/hear from at all. Quite a lovely week in that way.

At this point, when I'm missing my now-former bf so much, it's nice to make connections with others.

Also this week, Susan N. called for lunch and that was a bonus. And, having a long dinner with Jocelyn and Diana last night was also great. None of them knew about us breaking up so it was just nice that it all worked out.

Brancusi Quote

"Create like a god, command like a king, work like a slave."
Constantin Brancusi

Altruism in Humans

This has been a quiet Saturday for me. I didn't even leave the house until about 5:30. I worked on garden tour things and painted in the upstairs room some more.

Then I went and met Jocelyn and Diana for dinner. I was ready for a real meal as I had a peanut butter and jelly sandwich for lunch. I just wanted to keep working.

Jocelyn and I had planned to go to Roys at lunch but she had some other things come up so we decided on dinner instead so we could be relaxed.

While I was soaking in the tub, trying to get the paint off, I was reading about some new brain research on altruism.

Many animals demonstrate a form of altruism toward their kin, but only humans extend it far beyond that. Previously, we've known that people will offer kindnesses when they can expect future benefits, but this study tested if people would reward cooperators and punish those who do not to along, even when it costs them to do it.

Altruism would seem to lower the chances of survival since it doesn't provide immediate benefit or gain. In fact, it's costly in resources of many sorts. But, altruism seems to be a firmly ingrained part of human behavior.

Why? Well, it seems to point to the group selection theory, which researchers have always discounted because the conditions for it could not exist. However, in this case, if the altruists populated early communities, and then punished those who didn't follow their ways --- something that seems to be ingrained in us even today --- they would effectively make altruism the norm.

Regardless of how we got here, we seem to be the only animals with a propensity toward selflessness.

I'm continually fascinated by the human.

Prompts - 3

1. ...ridden on a rollercoaster?
no... always hated them... When I was a teenager my friends talked me into riding the one at Opryland. We were in line when it jumped the tracks and three people died. If I had needed any additional proof I was not supposed to ride rollercoasters, that sealed it.

2. ...performed (in any area of the arts) onstage?
yes... plays, piano, singing, chorus, etc.

3. ...planted a garden?
Yes... and as soon as I get all my weeds killed in my front flowerbed I'll be doing it again.

4. ...ever had to reformat your hard drive due to a virus/spyware?
yes... at work... not sure the cause... but watched it being rewritten with 0s and 1s... supposedly had backups on the server but it had "malfuctioned" - it's an ugly, ugly, ugly thing to watch those 0s and 1s

5. ...written a book? A poem? A song?
yes... yes... yes on all three

6. ...sang karaoke?
no... I've sang with a band but never with prerecorded music

7. ...been interviewed by a local tv station/newspaper?
yes and yes... I've also done the interviews for both...

8. ...witnessed a tornado/earthquake/hurricane first-hand?
I've been in many earthquakes, although not major ones. I grew up near the New Madrid fault line which is the HUGE one in the US. If it ever really goes, it will take out about half the country. Last time it really went, the Mississippi river ran backwards for three days.

A tornado hit my town a few years ago and I was in the tallest building in town during it (not tall at all!) and didn't even know until I got home and found my then-bf in the basement with the cat.

I've covered many of them after the fact. I live in Kansas now. Unfortunately they're pretty common.

9. ...participated in a photo scavenger hunt?
no... done scavenger hunts but not photo ones

10. ...traveled to another country?
yes... multiple other countries - my faves are France, Egypt and Guatemala... so far

Prompts-2

More prompts from a list...

Sun - What is the one thing you need to get finished this week?
garden tour prep

Mon - What is one item that you own that you really should throw away ... but probably never will?
my shirt Kyle Macy signed in the early 1980s - when he was hot stuff and I was wild about him (Basketball player for those of you not in-the-know about KY Wildcats B ball)

Tues - What are the 3 main influences in your life?
my family, my ex bf (we remain good friends), my faith

Wed - What makes you laugh?
tons of things - love wit and sarcasm - all of my friends are funny - it's almost a "requirement" to be my friend :)

Thurs - What is the most inexpensive, non-valuable thing you tend to collect and hoard?
rocks... love 'em... been picking them up since I could walk.. so... 41 years now... can't resist them... When I was moving it got to be a joke that every purse, decorative box or dish was likely to have a rock inside it.

Fri What do you daydream about?
being able to devote every day to BEING ME and not having to work for a living... and yet having enough money that I NEVER have to think about it... don't want to live extravagantly - just don't want to ever have to devote another thought to money - cannot think of many subjects more dull� I guess it's fine for some people, but I am certain I'm not meant to be devoting much thought to money in this lifetime

Sat What is your favorite Saturday pastime?
varies... do the same things on Saturday I do all week - see friends, go to lunch.... maybe take a little weekend trip.... paint in the studio

Prompts

Many journaling lists I'm on offer prompts all the time - questions you can answer to the list or on your own. I rarely journal with these sorts of things but I do enjoy just answering them on occasion. It occurred to me I should post them here - just for fun. So... here's one of them...

In your lifetime, have you.....

1. been physically present at a (human) birth?
no

2. been physically present at a (human) death?
no

3. eaten raw meat?
no

4. been forced to eat something that you found
absolutely repulsive, in order to "be polite" or for compelling cultural or
social reasons?

no - I'm NOT an adventurous eater... at all... I covered my head when I was Egypt but I wouldn't drink the tea after everyone else had... sorry... no can do... I have a "germ thing"

5. eaten an entire pan of brownies, an entire cake, or at least half a gallon of ice cream, at one sitting?
no... I've overeaten all of the above but never a whole container

6. ridden in the back of a police car (not under
arrest)?
no

7. fired a gun?
yes - many times

8. been on a TV or movie set?
yes - many times

9. written a children's book?
no

10. been somewhere you were DEFINITELY not supposed to be, and escaped without being caught?
yes - many times :)

11. been photographed with a Famous Person?
yes

12. hugged or smooched a Famous Person
yes

Time Keeps On Slipping... Into the Future

We all know that times keeps on slipping into the future. We all know we're supposed to be living every day to the fullest. We all know all that stuff, except how to do it.

I'm pretty good about living in the moment. Trust me, it has positives and negatives. If you're living only in the moment you're likely to have far less saved for the future than you should. Your 401K plan seems like something that's going to make your eyes glaze over.

But, if you're living in the moment, you're probably happy. Because whatever is happening is OK with you.

So, it's a catch 22 in the most traditional sense. If you need anything that will make you feel the urge to get off your butt and stop reading blogs, check this out... A visual reminder that time is slipping... into the future... continuously.
http://home.tiscali.nl/annejan/swf/timeline.swf

Houlihans and Garden Tour

Houlihans is opening in our revamped Convention Center soon. They had practice runs for the staff today at lunch and dinner and they're doing it tomorrow too. Chamber members could call and make reservations to go for free and try out the menu and give the employees some practice.

So, tonight I met Julie out there and we had dinner. I had the tilapia and she had a chicken salad. Both were really good. I had the cobbler and Julie the mousse, and we both had maragritas. Everything was very tasty. We gave it high marks.

I hardly ever drink and I've had margaritas three times in the last couple of weeks. That's a lot for me - more than I've had in the last three years. I could do without the alcohol in them but I do like the taste. These were really nice and tart, which I like.

I spent all day working on garden tour stuff. The 8th Annual Hutchinson Garden Tour is set for June 19! We have a really interesting mix of gardens this year - from one that's geared to butterflies and birds, to more traditional ones. I'll sell tickets at the Chapman and Masterson homes and have the raffle and drawing at others. We always do refreshments at the Dillon Nature Center. It should be a neat afternoon.

Dean and Kitty Chapman - 405 E. 15th
James and Shirley Masterson - 1711 Wilshire Dr.
Cregg and Diane Lingle - 7206 Holly Way
Stan and Cheryl Wiggins in North Reno County
Guy and Bobbi Gann - 3811 Prairie Hills Dr.
Dillon Nature Center - 3002 E. 30th

Tickets are only $7 for adults and that's good for all the homes. This year I'm doing a raffle for the first time for a piece of jewelry. Dick Westphal designs a piece of jewelry for us and it's always exceptional - about a $500 value. He's a wonderful corporate citizen here in Hutchinson. He has won national design awards - does amazing work. He's very generous with us.

Anyway, I'll be working on that all weekend. I also have to do a little straightening up around my house. It's getting out of control and I need to bring it back from the brink of disaster.

I've decided I'm going to Puerto Rico this summer for a conference so I've got to prepare for that, too. Seems like I'm always trying to juggle more than seems humanly possible.

Slowing Down Time

I've been tied to my computer keyboard most of the day, trying to get things done for the garden tour. It's on June 19 and I am SOOOO behind. So, nothing I can do about it but work harder. So, that's what I've been doing since early this morning until now. I'm headed to bed soon. Otherwise, I'll get a second wind and be up until 4 a.m.

I did take time for lunch today with Susan N. It's always so fun to see her. I also had to go drop off the rent check for the MHA office space. I thought I was being so smart and had mailed it. Well, in my flurry of thoughts about the garden tour I mailed it to myself. I was quite surprised to get it out of the box today. Anyway, I ran that down to their office.

That's the second stupid thing I found out today that I did recently. I also sent a cookbook review to Kansas Country Living that didn't include the ordering information. So, I put a click on my website for folks. I think maybe I'm thinking about too many things all at one time. Apparently even I have a limit and I've exceeded it.

I really need to slow down time just a little bit. I'm behind. That would help so much if I could only do that.

Pass the Potato Game

OK... this is a fun little game... at least I think so... but some people think I'm warped... I think it's pretty cool. :)

http://www.passthepotato.com/passedpotato.php?potatoid=050601165452-237735

Some Good Quotes

Great spirits have always encountered violent opposition from mediocre minds.
-Albert Einstein

Being on a tightrope is living; everything else is waiting.
Karl Wallenda (1904-1978):

Life is either a daring adventure, or nothing.
-Helen Keller

It is not the answer that enlightens, but the question.
--Eugene Ionesco

"It is not because things are difficult that we do not dare; it is because we do not dare that they are difficult." - Seneca

It is not a bad idea to get in the habit of writing down one's thoughts. It saves one having to bother anyone else with them.
--Isabel Colegate

The darkest places in hell are reserved for those who maintain their neutrality in times of moral crisis. Dante Alghieri

TV Screws Up The Kids

Well, we all *know* that TV screws up the kids, but it doesn't seem to stop us from planting them in front of it for multiple hours a day. There are shows marketed at two year olds and parents can't buy the associated crap fast enough to reinforce having their kids be quiet for that time they're watching the screen.

Of course, common sense would tell us this is idiotic. A horrible idea. A stupid way to raise a child - or, more accurately, a way to avoid having to raise a child.

Common sense would tell us that those first four years of life - when the brain is developing - DEVELOPING - would be a good time to be exposing it to wonderful things. But, putting a video in is so much easier. Amazing how that frantic pace on the screens keeps their brain occupied - not necessarily developing, just occupied - while we talk on the phone or make a work appointment or write an email.

Think back... into the long ago times... when people raised children without videos and DVDs. It wasn't that long ago. Think back even further into the very long, long, long ago times when people raised their children without TV. Those would be the generations that brought us the light bulb, cars, phones, computers, the space program, and other such things. They also brought us TV. I'm sure they didn't imagine we'd think they'd given us 'round the clock child care.

There's new research now from The University of Washington and Children's Hospital in Seattle that finds - not surprisingly - that the more TV your children watch when they're young, the more difficulty they have paying attention later.

For each hour of television a child watched daily before age four, their risk of having attention problems at age 7 increase by 9%.

So, if the kids are watching the average of 8-10 hours a day of television, it's pretty much a given - 72-90% likely - that they'll be unable to focus when they start school.

Well, gosh, that seems like a good trade off. You get to avoid dealing with your children. They get a rocky start on the education that will have tremendous impact on whether or not they're successful in life.

OK... so... stop reading this blog... go pull your kids out from the front of the TV and take them to the park.

A Holiday Monday

Well, I've been working in my soon to be library room today. I sponged over some of the funky green color in there and I'm not sure if I like it or not. I think I'll wait for a day or so and see how it strikes me in the daylight. I like the look of the metallics sponged on top of it, but I'm just not sure about the green. It's kind of a funky olive color. I bought it spur of the moment, which is never how I buy paint. Maybe there's a reason. lol

So, I'll see how I like it in the morning. If it doesn't sing, I'll go get more of the base color and paint over it. Better to lose the $20 on paint than all the work of having to redo it. We'll see how I like it in the morning. I'm 50/50 on it right now.

So, that's my big news of the day.

I haven't been out of the house except to hang out and get clothes. I had some left overs from my Wichita trip for brunch and some popcorn for whatever comes between lunch and dinner. I think I do need to fix myself some actual food for dinner. Even though it's almost 10, I haven't had any yet.

I also need to take a bath and get some of the paint off me. I always paint myself in addition to whatever else I'm working on.

One of my other color thoughts is blue and gold in there - an Egyptian theme - I may mix up some colors and try that out and see how I like it too. I think I'm definitely getting another gallon of the Porter paint that is the base color. I was really borderline of having enough and if I put blue on and don't want it I doubt I'll have enough to cover that up and finish up in there. We'll see.

Maybe in the morning I'll think it's the most beautiful thing I've ever seen. lol

I do like the woodwork I've gotten to being that bright white. I'd prefer it be natural but I just don't have the energy to attempt that so bright white it is. What was in there was so nasty that this is a dramatic improvement. Now, if I can just decide about the green color. We'll see...

For the rest of the time before I go to bed I have to do some MHA things. I'm behind!

4:30 and I'm Still Up

It's 4:30 a.m. and I'm still up. And I've accomplished very little tonight, other than computer work, and none of that was critical stuff. I am going to have to break this cycle. I dread going to bed at times like this.

Turquoise? Who Knew?

You are the color turquoise. A fairly tempermental
person, you're either upset or tranquil most of
the time. You can be as calm as your color.
You're a mysterious person, yet somehow
outgoing. You're balanced, simply put. You're
somewhat bold. You're generous and
sophisticated--but never ever snobby. You're
lively and rich in personality and attitude.
You're a beautiful person, aside from the fact
that you're a perfectionist and painfully
honest. But life is good to you!


What color are you? (Amazingly detailed & accurate--with pics!)
brought to you by Quizilla

House Repairs

I'm thinking about getting some things done to my house this summer.

Last night when I couldn't sleep I was thinking about different rooms and realized that the room I'm working in now is the last room I have that I haven't done anything to. I still have the stairwell and upper hallway, and plenty of finishing things to do in other rooms, but this is my last room that hasn't been touched.

One of the first rooms I worked on was the kitchen - for the obvious reasons. People either love my bright blue and yellow or they look at it and go, "Oh, you haven't worked in here, yet."

Well, yes, I have. See the grease stains running down the side of the cabinet where the stove sat previously. I scrubbed all those off - took, literally, weeks of scrubbing and letting it soak every night with some different harmful chemical on it.

I painted my kitchen blue and yellow because I love Monet's kitchen at Giverny. When I was there I fell in love with the color scheme. Thank goodness I went years ago when you could actually SEE the house without your view being blocked by the hundreds of other tourists inside while you were. Obviously, my blue and yellow are a bit more brilliant, but I love the combo.

Every Dec. 19 I take pix of my house to chart my progress. That's the day I closed on it so that's the day I chose to do pix. Of course, I'm always decorated for Christmas then so it's all the better for me to do it then.

Photographs

I'm thinking tonight about photographs and how they capture different moments in our lives and how those moments tell a story of who we are.

I'm thinking about what photographs would tell the story of my life up to now if I could only chose a few. If they were all scanned in, I'd show them here but they're not all in the computer, so I'll just share a couple.

Of course, something from childhood. This isn't especially meaningful - I don't even remember it - I'm guessing I was turning 4. But you have to have something from childhood, of course.

Going to Egypt by myself in 1999 was a turning point in my life in many ways. It was, truly, life changing - in every sense of the word. It made me think of myself, travel and experiences in a different way. I won't go into the details here, as I've never shared them with anyone and am not about to start by putting it on the world wide web, but that trip changed who I am and how I move in the world. It was when I really became "me" again after a relationship had ended over a year before.

There are some, of course, who think "me" is a dangerous thing to be (hi, Leah!). But, we have to be ourselves.

There are other photos I can think of that illustrate moments for me, but I don't have them handy. It's an interesting concept... maybe something I should devote some time to.

Mail Art Call on Anxiety

One of the things I do in my spare time is Mail Art. It's a movement that believes that art should be available to everyone.

Last year I did the first ever Mail Art exhibit in Hutchinson. My friend, Diana, hosted it at The Dancing Grouse (www.thedancinggrouse.com). You can see last year's exhibit by clicking on the link below. If you want to read more about mail art, google it and you'll find plenty to amuse yourself.

This is the call I have out now. It's fascinating to see what you get and from where.

Send Mail Art that illustrates ANXIETY.
Entries should be postcards, 4x6 inches, any media.

See last year's exhibit at http://www.mharenoco.org/mailart2004.htm

No Jury, No Fee, No Return, Documentation Provided.
Deadline is September 12, 2005
Exhibit will be held in the fall.

Send to:
Patsy Terrell
Mental Health Association
PO Box 2021
Hutchinson KS 67504-2021

Saturday

I took off for Wichita this afternoon, just to get out of the house and out of town. For some reason, a change of scenery really helps my mood. I need all the mood lifters I can come up with these days.

I stocked up on some art supplies I was running low on.I'm still thinking about things I want to have in stock before any art shows. I'm thinking about going up to the studio for a while, but I'm also tired so may just head on to bed. Being sad is exhausting.

It was a gorgeous day today - perfect for folks who are at the lakes enjoying this first summer weekend.